Use it or Lose It
#1
Posted 14 February 2009 - 09:12 AM
All of us know the phrase "use it or lose it", and the general consensus is that if you do not dive for extended periods of time, a refresher course is highly beneficial. Not just for your sake, but for your buddy's as well. But, what is "an extended period of time"? Is there a hard & fast rule, or does it differ for each individual? And, what does a good refresher course entail?
There are also dive ops who ask that divers using their operation to demonstrate some basic skills before allowing you to dive with them. Many comply without a second thought, but I have seen others loudly complain about this practice, feeling insulted or like they're being treated like children. In today's litigation-happy atmosphere, I understand why the dive ops ask us to demonstrate that we know what we're doing, at least with the rudimentary skills. Have you been asked to demonstrate your basic skills, and if so what was your reaction to the first time you were asked to do so? Do you think more dive ops will be doing this in the future? Do OW or AOW divers comply without a second thought, while DM's and instructors feel the insult, or vice-versa?
The goal, I'm sure, is to keep us and those we're diving with from becoming a diving accident statistic. What are your thoughts on these issues?
#2
Posted 14 February 2009 - 11:57 AM
"Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." -- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
"The right thing to do never requires any subterfuge, it is always simple and direct." -- Calvin Coolidge
#3
Posted 14 February 2009 - 12:37 PM
Last summer I was diving at AKR on Roatan. Not my normal choice of a dive location, too many people, too commercial for my taste. They require a checkout dive while still at dock. They have you gear up and jump in. This was the most bizarre checkout dive that I have ever been on. Nine of us jump in the water, the water is pretty shallow and I was not happy with my weights so I sit on the bottom for a minute to take a weight off my belt, while I am sitting there doing this I am watching the other divers. One of them is floating on the top with her head down like a duck, another is trying to clear his mask and then of course there is me who is sitting there. This whole scene lasted all of 3 minutes and the DM was signaling the OK sign everybody back on the boat.
What was the point?
As far as a refresher course, I think that really depends on the diver. The longest I have gone between dives was six months, but when I jumped back in the water it felt like 6 days.
J
#4
Posted 14 February 2009 - 12:45 PM
If you can't eat it or play with it,
Just pee on it and walk away.
#5
Posted 14 February 2009 - 03:21 PM
As far as check out dives at a resort, I can understand it. But I would think they'd be a bit more in depth than the ones described. I remember my first boat dive. The DM gave a nice dive brief, explained that people weren't to touch the coral and make sure to keep their gear secured and not dragging on things. As soon as the dive started, I decended to about 35 ft and looked down. To my horror, there was a fat guy in nothing but swim trunks and his dive gear, literally STANDING straight up, on the reef, looking around. Some people just don't get it I guess. These are the kind of people that need to be doing checkout dives. That being said, I don't think any dive op can really afford to tell a diver they can't go on a trip because their skills are lacking. This goes into ethics and and many other things so I'll cut it short there. But in short, yes, I think checkout dives are good.
Wow, that was a serious rant with no real topic adherance. Sorry.
Working on my PHD in CQB one house at a time.
#6
Posted 14 February 2009 - 04:07 PM
As a plug - our shop of course charges for reviews, but I will do them for friends gratis. However, since this is one of the very few courses divemasters are allowed to deliver without supervision - I would encourage everyone to pay their hard-working DM for their time.
Jacques Yves Cousteau
#7
Posted 20 February 2009 - 10:52 AM
I have been limited in my water time myself due to buying other things and simply not having time lately.
#8
Posted 20 February 2009 - 12:52 PM
Check out the SPREE...come dive with us!
charlies@singledivers.com
#9
Posted 20 February 2009 - 01:28 PM
#10 Guest_TexasStarfish_*
Posted 20 February 2009 - 01:39 PM
So on the course. A refresher, where I teach, entails the diver to sit in on one classroom open water session and one pool open water session. There is what is called the extended refresher and it includes more classroom and I think even a day at the lake.
#11
Posted 20 February 2009 - 02:18 PM
One question I have not seen answered yet is, what does a refresher course entail? Instructors, can you enlighten us? Maybe some of our members have been out of the water for a while, and just don't know what the refresher course really will do for them.....
Scuba Reviews (from my agency PADI) include a knowledge review session and pool skill session.
The knowledge review can be conducted in a few different of ways depending on theri schedule or desire. Participants can elect to review knowledge starting with independent study of a PADI Scuba Tune-Up workbook. The participant and instructor may then use class time to focus on discussing any sections of knowledge requiring remediation (typically the dive tables). Participants may elect to forgo independent study and on the night of the class session they may either take the 4 Open Water quizzes or take the Open Water Final Exam. The participant and instructor may then focus in on any missed questions to remediate.
The areas of scuba knowledge covered in a review are:
Safe diving practices
Dive planning fundamentals
Problem management
Breathing air at depth
Recreational diving and dive tables: basic knowledge
Recreational diving and dive tables: dive planning
The pool skill session covers practice of the following basic scuba skills:
1. gear set-up
2. Predive safety check
3. Deep-water entry
4. Weight check at the surface
5. Snorkel to regulator exchange
6. Proper descent using the a five-point method
7. Regulator recovery
8. Remove and replace mask
9. Air depletion/Alternate air source use
10. Regulator free-flow
11. Fin pivot (a buoyancy skill)
12. Proper ascent using the five-point method
13. Remove and replace weight system underwater
14. Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA)
15. Hover
16. No-mask swim
17. Remove and replace weight system on the surface
18. Remove and replace scuba unit on the surface
Any certified diver from any agency may of course take a PADI Scuba Review course, such as I am certain similar programs from other agencies allow for the same. After successful completiong of a PADI Scuba Review, participants receive a PADI Scuba Review verification decal for their certification card.
Once in a while, it is good to step back, take a breath, and remember to be humble. You'll never know it all - ScubaDadMiami. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve - Lao-tzu. One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him - Chinese Proverb.
#12
Posted 23 February 2009 - 02:08 PM
Scuba Reviews (from my agency PADI) include a knowledge review session and pool skill session.
The areas of scuba knowledge covered in a review are:
Safe diving practices
Dive planning fundamentals
Problem management
Breathing air at depth
Recreational diving and dive tables: basic knowledge
Recreational diving and dive tables: dive planning
Hey, isn't there an on-line course for this?
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